The Longest War: The Iran-Iraq Military Conflict Book

An easy to read journalistic rather than scholarly account of the longest conventional war of the 20th century that lasted 7 years and 11 months and ended in a statelemate.

Written in 1990, it is refreshingly unmolested by irrelevant references to future events like Iraq's invasion of Kuwait or September 11.

Anyone who believes in such a notion as one Arab World or Islamic World will be dissapointed to see in this book that the human drive for power, honour, and wealth is far too universal to be overcome by idealistic notions of nationalism or religion. Iran, even during the nascent fervour of an anti-American anti-atheist Islamic revolution was more than willing to purchase most of its military arsenal from the 'Great Satan' America, those atheist abominations the Soviet Union and North Korea, and its anti-Islamic laicic neighbour Turkey. Saddam suppressed Iraq's Kurdish rebels but encouraged Iran's Kurds to rebel whilst Iran supplied Iraq's Kurdish rebels whilst suppressing its own. Egypt became a pariah of the Arab world after signing a peace accord with Israel, but Saddamn- the great anti-Zionist torchbearer of the Arab world- had such a hunger for more weapons that he ushered Egypt's re-entry into the Arab League and they became strong allies as a result: a friend in need is a friend indeed. This dark comedy played itself in many other hypocritical ways, illustrated in this book.

Had the author explained some of the weapon and military jargon then the many tactical accounts would have been easier to follow. However the reader is not left lost because the author explains that one side's equipment was better than the other (Iraq always having an edge on materiel) and gives the outcome and signifance of each battle. Most of the book's content concerns domestic and international political relationships and circumstances but there are still many accounts of individual battles.

A great introduction and an eaasy refresher.